A/N: So I was feeling very generous today and decided to update with a little chapter. I had a request to do a horse-centric chapter as we met Clarke and Roan's horses in the first story, we know Helios well from the show, and Lexa's horse has been mentioned a few times in both stories and shown twice on the show. Since I've been riding my whole life and own a horse, writing this was easy. But for those who don't know horses, it might be a little confusing, so at the end of the chapter, there is actually an explanation/definition of some of the horsey terms in the chapter (I tried my best to make it as less-confusing as possible, but it was a challenge.) The last maybe half of the chapter has an important conversation between the girls and Roan, so if if the horse stuff has no interest to you at all, don't skip the chapter, but skip to the end of the chapter (Octavia's POV) and unless you like this very much, this will probably be the only horse-centric chapters so if you feel that this doesn't mesh with the story well, don't worry because this was just a little "try-something-new/different-that's-happy/positive chapter) :) enjoy and let me know whether you want horses to go back to being just-mentioned or if you'd like an occasional "horse-centric" chapter!
Lexa
"It's been forever since we've all been to the barn together," Octavia said as Clarke drove us to the barn which was about forty minutes from the city.
"Yeah, it's been years since the four of us have," Clarke grinned. Of course, Clarke, Octavia and I go to the barn together all the time but it isn't the same without Roan. Although Clarke still hasn't forgiven him from Valentine's Day last month.
In this world, people care about breeds and colors, and even heights. Horses are measured by "hands" which I still don't get. My horse, Arya, was given to me from Anya when I ascended as Heda. In the other world, she was just my white horse. But in this world, she's a grey Arabian, and there's no such thing as a true "white" horse—just grey horses with white fur which makes no sense. Clarke's horse Charmer was a gift from me to her shortly after I met her. The big brown horse with site legs and face is apparently a chestnut Warmblood with socks and a blaze. Octavia's horse Helios was a gift from Lincoln, and the brown horse who has very similar markings to Charmer, is a chestnut Quarter Horse. And although I don't know Roan's horse backstory, I do know that they'd been together for a long time and that his name is Gona, and a flea-bitten grey Arabian/Thoroughbred mix. But to us, they were just our horses.
They saved many horses from the Phantom World when they rescued those who never died—like Clarke, Octavia, and Roan—and they managed to rescue many horses. Dozens. Some were claimed by their rightful owners, and the rest were adopted out as companions or riding horses. We all got very lucky to get our horses back.
Clarke steered into the yard of the barn and we all got out, breathing in the sweet scent of horses, hay, and feed. Our horses were kept in the same paddock, so it was easy to grab them.
"Damn it, Arya!" Grey horses are not fun. At all. She had rolled, her once white fur brown and grass stained. Octavia laughed, hugging Helios, thankful he wasn't dirty. Clarke left Charmer in his stall and came to help me brush Arya as well as we could. After a half hour, she looked decent enough.
"She clearly enjoyed the fact that the snow in her pasture melted and turned to mud," Octavia laughed, sliding a gloved hand down Helios' leg and lifting it up, scraping mud from the hoof. I did the same with Arya.
"Let's tack up!"
The three of us girl all rode English while Roan rode western. I smoothed the hunter green saddle pad on Arya's back, placing the fleece half pad on top, then lifting the English saddle on her back. I tightened her girth, thankful she didn't bloat like Gona did. I attached her breastplate and then grabbed her bridle. I coaxed her opening her mouth for the bit, pulling the bridle over her ears and buckling all the straps. I turned to see how everyone was doing. Roan was done and waiting patiently, Clarke was fussing over Charmer's dressage saddle and girth and Octavia was adjusting Helios' figure 8 bridle. Within a few minutes, we were all ready.
"Let's go on the trails," Roan spoke up as we led the horses from the barn. "The snow all melted."
"It'll be muddy," Clarke pointed out.
"If we stick to a rather flat path, it won't be too bad," I told her. "I'm tired of riding in the stuffy arena. I want to ride through the woods and gallop through a field like old times. Like the old world. That's what I'm used to. That's what Arya's used to."
"I'm with Lex," Octavia chimed in. "I want to be free, to be able to go cantering home across a field instead on trotting along a wall on arena sand."
"Same," said Roan.
Clarke sighed. She was a dressage princess, and loved the spacey arena. But she wasn't like Octavia, Roan, and I. We were Grounders. Trikru and Azgeda. Octavia may have been Skaikru like Clarke, but she was a true Grounder at heart.
I led Arya to a mounting block and got on her back. One by one the others mounted. Arya lived to be in the lead, so I led the way. I could feel her quivering under me, wanting to stretch her stiff legs. She didn't take too kindly to the New York winter. None of them did, but the sassy Arabian made it loud and clear when she was unhappy. And with the ears back slightly, the head bobbing, and the swishing of her silky silver tail, it was clear she wasn't a happy camper. But she listened anyways and stayed at a comfortable walk as we entered the woods. We were all quiet, enjoying the peacefulness of birds singing and the sound of hooves on the soft wooded ground.
After ten or so minutes, we reached a small clearing. The small clearing was still much larger than the indoor arena, and the horses picked up the pace, snorting happily. I gave Arya another inch or rein and clucked quietly. She picked up a floaty trot—she didn't need to be asked twice! I head the rhythm of trotting hooves behind us. Arya's ears were pricked forward, chuffing happily and she jogged around. Her dainty Arab legs picked up high, almost suspending her in the air with ever step. Her slender neck stretched downwards a bit as she stretched out her back. I scratched her withers with my knuckles and I rose with ever step. She pulled on the reins, asking for more. So I shouted "cantering!" and let her go. She picked up the canter, her speed increasing. The ground wasn't too bad, so a quick canter wouldn't be dangerous. Her little legs carried her quickly, and I could bet that her tail was flagging. When she was excited or running, she would lift her tailbone in the air, and her tail would flag behind her. Helios cantered up beside us, matching our pace. Octavia grinned at me and I laughed. Like really laughed. This was the freedom I deeply missed.
…
Octavia
"Only four months, huh, Sky Girl?"
I shivered, but not because of the cool air. Four months until the wedding. Four months until I could officially call him my husband.
"To be honest, I'm really nervous. My mom's planning most of it, so I don't have to worry too much about it, but…we're really doing it."
"And you're planning most of our wedding," Clarke pointed out. "And you won't tell us anything."
"Duh! Jake and I want it to be special. We're planning everything. All you're gonna have to do is the easy stuff. Choose the cake, the color scheme, the dresses—bridesmaids and wedding gowns. And choose you're bridesmaids." I told them. And it was true—I was throwing myself into planning their wedding and I refused to tell them anything. I had dreamed of doing this for so long, and I was finally doing it! Though if you told me five years ago that I'd be going crazy planning a wedding, I wouldn't have believed you. But I changed. I went from "don't bring that dress near me!" to "the dresses and shoes have to match!" This world has broken me. Not that I mind…
"And bridesmen."
I swung around to look at Lexa, nearly falling off Helios. He tossed his head in annoyance and I pet his neck as an apology. "Bridesmen?"
Clarke nodded from her spot beside Lexa. "We've decided we'd each have a maid of honor, a bridesmaid, and a bridesmen."
"Oh?" that definitely peaked my interest.
"For me," Clarke began, "I want to ask you to be my maid of honor."
I nearly fell off Helios again. "Lexa wanted you to be hers, but Anya…"
"I'd love to." I thought I might actually cry.
"Raven, if she says yes, will be my bridesmaid and Bellamy my bridesman."
Lexa nodded. "Anya's my maid of honor, I'm asking Emori to be my bridemaid…and Roan, would you do I the honor and be my bridesman?"
"Of course, Heda. I'd be honored to."
Octavia brightened up. "Lexa, will you be my maid of honor? And Clarke, be my bridesmaid?"
"Of course!" they said together, huge smiles on their faces.
This is why I love them.
…
A/N: I know there's a lot of horse terms, so here's a quick note on what some of the stuff means:
Hands:horses are measured by hands. One hand is 4 inches.
Arabian:a breed, they are known for their dished face and flagged tail
search?biw=1366&bih=662&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=arabian+horse+face&oq=arabian+horse+f&gs_l=img.3.0.0l8j0i30k1l2.14460.14811.0.16..208.1j1.2.0...0...1c.1. ..0.2.205... 6IiHjp4#imgrc=mJ-7Pza_5uzy8M%3A
Flea-bitten grey:white fur with grey "freckles" all over the body, said to look like flea bites, where the color got its name
search?biw=1366&bih=662&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=flea+bitten+grey+horse&oq=flea+bitt&gs_l=img.3.0.0i67k1j0l2j0i67k1l2j0j0i67k1j0j0i67k1j0.29528.30810.0.33..522.3j2.5.0...0...1c.1. ..2.7. #imgrc=xdtTuhSvyh9J0M%3A
Paddock:an area, usually a small fenced in field, where horses are put out during daytime to play and stretch their legs
English:a style of riding; English riding does dressage and jumping along with other sports
search?biw=1366&bih=662&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=english+riding&oq=english+riding&gs_l=img.3..0l10.35843.37684.0.37..923.9j1.10.0...0...1c.1. ..0.14.937... #imgrc=EpNQc1N6-_LraM%3A
Western:a style of riding, known for the saddle's saddle horse; does barrel racing and roping along other sports
search?biw=1366&bih=662&tbm=isch&q=western+riding&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWldPJpMXQAhVC9IMKHXlGBbEQvwUIOSgA&dpr=1#imgrc=l81G9bxtobHN5M%3A
Dressage:is said to be like "horse ballet" the horse performs and intricate dance with the rider's cues so subtle and accurate that the audience can't see them ask
watch?v=TfbeuhBBgIw
Trot: a 2-beat gait, a jog (the gaits go walk, TROT, canter, gallop)
Canter:a 3-beat gait, running (the gaits go walk, trot, CANTER, gallop)
Video of trot & canter: watch?v=Pq0Q7lIXw8c